Blockhead, a.k.a James Simon, has just released his sixth solo album, and most recent album since 2012’s Interludes After Midnight. Bells and Whistles is Simon’s first album to be promoted and released independently after he split with record label, Ninja Tune. The trip-hop giant, widely known for his instrumental hip hop and his album The Music Scene from 2009, is also renown for his collaborations with hip hop artists like Aesop Rock and Open Eagle Mike.
His newest album, Bells and Whistles, has been streaming on soundcloud this week, and is full of the psychedelic swirls, jazz breakdowns, and creative vocal samples that vibe so well with Blockhead’s chopping trip hop beats. For now, Bells and Whistles is streaming on soundcloud, and will only be available for digital download through iTunes and Bandcamp, but in a short description on the album’s release Simon states that he’s working to release 1000 copies on vinyl, and will repress more if it goes well.
